Excel file disappeared from Windows 7

I'm running Windows 7 Pro

MS Excel 2004 spreadsheet that I've saved it many times throughout the last few days but hadn't yet backed it up. (I know, I know). When I attempted to open the file today it was gone. It's not in the Excel file list of recently worked on files, it's not in the File Manager, Temp files, Recycle Bin, anywhere on the computer!

Downloaded trial version of PC Tools File Recover which is supposed to take minutes to run and give 2 free files recovered. 8 HOURS LATER it found my file but when I went to recover it the program tells me that I must purchase to recover this file. I would go ahead and purchase it but the 8 HOURS that it took to find the file makes me reluctant to make the purchase.

Using another computer I downloaded Restoration.exe (recommended by PC World) onto a USB drive and attempted to run it straight from the drive (so that I don't risk losing more of the missing file) but the program tells me that I don't have Administrative rights to the computer. I'm the only user on this computer and have it setup to open right up without clicking on any user icons or passwords. I've not had any trouble installing other programs so all should be fine - except that it isn't.

Does anyone have any ideas, suggestions, a shoulder to cry on?

Since it is Win7 Pro, you should be able to recover it quickly using the "Recover Previous Version" feature by restoring a previous version of the folder that contained the missing file.
http://www.winhelponline.com/blog/re...windows-vista/
If you have other files in that folder that you have since modified, you may wish to copy them to a safe place before proceeding.

I did try that trick but the file didn't show up.

The file has been deleted from all previous versions of that folder?? Are you right-clicking on the parent folder?

That is some odd stuff! It wasn't even on the list of recent documents? I can't figure that unless the PC was restored somehow just before it disappeared.